Passengers travelling in an ordinary large-capacity aircraft may find that it is often difficult to locate and read the seat designators that mark their allocated seat. As a rule this is because such seat designators are often located on the underside of the overhead baggage storage spaces or baggage lockers, which baggage lockers in the context of the present invention are referred to as “hatracks”. From the point of view of a person of normal stature the underside of these hatracks is normally approximately at shoulder height so that it may almost be impossible to identify these seat designators while standing. Apart from this, the above-mentioned seat designators are often simple signs displaying the respective seat numbers. However, in the often unfavourable lighting conditions in the passenger cabin, these simple signs are frequently difficult to read, which may result in further problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,434 describes a proposal for an improved version, according to which the signs are affixed at the front region of a hatrack, in a recess that accommodates a handrail. This arrangement may make it possible for a standing passenger to see the seat designator almost at eye level, wherein it is further proposed that the seat designator be illuminated by a lamp that is accommodated in the handrail so that the designator can be read more easily.
However, the handrail, due to having been fitted in the recess in the hatrack, may extend only for a distance of a few seat rows, so that a passenger who is guided along by the handrail has to repeatedly let go of the handrail and then grip the following handrail again. Apart from this, when the lamps are on for an extended period of time they may heat the handrail to such an extent that due to the heat generated passengers are unable to hold the handrail for any length of time.